The Recondite Key
by TitanDragonfire
Summary: When old plots and grudges find their way to the Lyoko group, as well as even more twisted plots from Xana, how will the arrival of a strange new student at Kadic affect the fate of Earth and Lyoko? OxA,UxY,JxOC R&R if you please! Hiatus.
1. New Student, New Threat?

A/N: This story combines season 1 and 2 knowledge since I can't watch the new episodes, save for wednesdays, due to band. This was a story written a long time ago in a roleplay that has never been published before on the internet, and it had ironic coincidences from season 2. So this was all my idea! So ha! ...Anyways (before I go all crazy on you guys...) hope you enjoy this chapter, and the whole story for that matter!

* * *

"But daddy, you've only been home for a couple months now, can't I just continue at Corvana? Or home schooling? Then I could spend more time with you," said a blonde, teenage girl to her smiling father. They waited next to their car by the gates to Kadic Jr. High.

"I'm sorry, Arty, but you need to stay here. I'm very busy now too and you can meet some great new friends here!" The man replied to his frowning daughter, "Artemis, cheer up. You'll like it here, I promise. Besides, I'm only a phone call away."

"Ok…" muttered the girl, giving in to her father's idea. She reluctantly picked up her backpack and suitcase, still watching the ground with a sad eye. Artemis said her goodbyes and waved until her father's car drove around the corner and out of her sight. She sighed and turned to look at her new school, taking in the buildings and students that wandered about the grounds. Slowly, she began walking into the schoolyard feeling like such an outsider.

Her shoulder length hair was pulled back into a braid but her bangs hung in her face as she watched the ground go by beneath her. The activity seemed to blur and slow down around her as she focused only on the ground and made her way closer to the school buildings.

"Ooooh, New Kid," exclaimed Odd to his friend Ulrich. The two boys were hanging out on a school bench watching Sissy practice her new baton routine, hitting herself in the head several times (much to their enjoyment).

"Eh. She looks kinda down, huh Odd. Reminds me of Herve when Sissy starts flirting with someone else," said Ulrich.

"Like you?" Odd laughed, seeing the grimace his brunette friend gave him. He flashed a goofy grin right back at Ulrich's sour frown.

* * *

Artemis continued on to the administration building she had marked on her campus map. Her father reminded her to visit the principal to know where to go. She walked into the warmly lit office, shutting the door carefully behind her. The secretary greeted her plainly and asked for her to sit until the principal would see her. But it wasn't long before she was called in, so she left her luggage by her chair and continued to the office.

Timidly, she poked her head in the doorway and slowly made her way inside, having a seat awkwardly.

"You are…Miss Calhart, correct?" asked the man, standing up straight and proud to make a good impression of himself (as he notes to do). She nodded at the question. "Good to meet you. Here is your dorm key," he handed her a small slip of paper with a key attached, "And you will find the rules here are very much the same at Corvana Jr. High. Dr. Calhart stopped by earlier to drop off some of your things. They are already in your dorm room. Your father told me you were interested in the soccer team on your last visit correct?"

Artemis nodded again, this time with a small gleam in her blue eyes. "Very much so sir."

"Let me see if I can arrange that," he picked up his phone and dialed a quick number. "Jim? I have a new student here who's interested to join your soccer team…That's right…Alright…Alright Jim, thank you," he placed the phone back on the receiver and faced the girl again. "You will need to dress out and report to the soccer field later on at four o clock. Alright?"

"Thank you sir, I understand." The girl replied politely, starting to stand up again.

"If you need anything, any one of the faculty will be more than happy to help. Have a good day Miss Calhart."

* * *

Artemis wandered the dorm hallways for what seemed like forever. 'This was supposed to be easy! Where is room 213!' She frowned angrily at the paper as she turned another corner in the labyrinth of halls. Keeping her eyes glued to her paper, she failed to see where she was going.

With a great thud, two students collided rudely in the hall, sending a pair of glasses, a book, a backpack, and the dorm key flying. Artemis unintentionally caught the glasses in her lap and looked up at her collision victim. The boy was about the same age, slightly taller with lighter blonde hair.

"Sorry! I'm so sorry! I should have been watching where I was going!" she began to apologize, knowing any normal person would start yelling by now.

"It's ok, I shouldn't have been reading and walking at the same time," replied the boy calmly with a small smile. "Now where did my glasses go…" He blindly felt around for them until she held them up.

"Is this what you're looking for?" she asked innocently, trying not to laugh at his dazed expression.

"Oh, yeah, thanks." He slipped them on with a sigh of relief, "That's better. I haven't seen you around before. Are you new?"

"How'd you guess…" she said dully, knowing the "new kid" ridicule was bound to start sometime.

"Considering you've got a bunch of stuff and a new dorm key with you." He laughed a bit.

She gave a shy smile, "Well, I suppose that would give it away. " She stood up, picking her things back up. "I'm Artemis."

"Jeremie," he held out his hand to shake, proving someone had manners in the school to her.

"Nice to meet you. Uh… you wouldn't by any chance happen to know where room 213 is…would you?" Arty sheepishly questioned, biting her lip in embarrassment.

"Sure! It's near my room and my friends Odd and Ulrich's. I'll show you." He waved to follow and started down the hallway with her cautiously trailing behind. He pointed to his room as they passed it, as well as his friends', and reached the very end of the hall to a door reading 213.

"Thanks a lot. I kinda got a little lost." She admitted.

"No problem. It was nice meeting you. See you later?" he waved and started to turn to be on his way until he noticed something peculiar. As Arty turned the key in the lock, a small red mark showed on the inside of her right wrist. Looking closer, the mark resembled a familiar symbol he had seen before. Xana's mark.


	2. Soccer Tryouts

A/N: So sorry for the delay in posting. Stupid band season is finally over! I hope you enjoy this chapter and I promise to write like crazy over the holidays!

* * *

Artemis walked towards the soccer field while tying up her hair in a ponytail. She wore her old uniform, noticing the real team was already out there in their own. It made her feel even more like an outsider, but in reminding herself how well she knew the game, how she and her father had played this same game together for years, her confidence gradually came back. It was her sanctuary from his otherwise ruined childhood.

Jim looked over to his team to start practice and caught sight of the girl in a different uniform. "Looks like we have a spy," he whispered to his 'army'.

"Excuse me, I'm here to try out for the soccer team, sir? Am I in the right place?" she asked as politely as she could. Arty was well aware of the many pairs of eyes staring at her.

An eruption of whispers exploded within the group of boys. "Jim! She's a girl!" came one whisper. Similar ones flew about in the air like angry bees as the 'army' huddled and argued. With a round of groans, the huddle broke and the boys walked back all the while giving Artemis an angry frown.

"You'll show us what you got. If it's any good, we might consider your position on the team," said Jim in a straightforward manner, silently telling himself they needed a water boy, or girl. He gave a signal to his team as they lined up. Odd, Yumi, and Aelita looked on from the bleachers to cheer on Ulrich, and the replacement goalie Jeremie. The boy stood awkwardly before the goal, wishing he was anywhere but there. Sissy's gang sat opposite the Lyoko group, taking on the role of cheerleaders with Sissy as cheer "captain". The raven haired girl was up with a brand new baton in hand, twirling it around above her head catching the sun.

Apparently, it was time to practice, Arty versus everyone on the team. All she had to do was score three goals, which seemed simple enough even with the all-star Ulrich on the field. She noticed the boy she had met earlier was serving as goalie, and judging how confident he was looking, once she got to the goal, scoring would be no problem.

Ulrich glared at Arty at the center of the field, ready to face-off. She gave him a calm look, almost smiling, which confused and bugged him even more. He didn't want to lose his good position and reputation if she got past him. The ball dropped almost in slow motion, and Artemis was the first to knee-up and steal it away. Ulrich grit his teeth and followed her as she wove through the players fluidly, dodging every attempt they threw. She noticed they were going easy on her in the beginning, it was apparent through how half-hearted their attacks were. But once she had streaked her way across the field and set up to shoot, the boys started to realize she wasn't as weak as she appeared to be. With one good kick the ball soared into the net missing Jeremie's outstretched arms by a few short inches.

The next face-off came around and every boy on the field, including Jim, had hardened their focus. She was no pushover apparently. The white and black ball fell to earth again, but this time Ulrich caught it with the side of his foot. He grinned to himself until he noticed Artemis smile to herself and follow his move towards the goal. Since they were using the same goal, if Arty could steal the ball, she wouldn't have far to go to score again. She trailed Ulrich as he ran towards the goal with ease, since he had no other opponent but Artemis. Ulrich kneed up the ball to his height, smirking in thinking how close he was to a goal when he caught sight of a red streak catch up beside him. The ball began to descend and another player brought a strong side kick to the ball, it flew into the gaping net with another swish past Jeremie's ears. Ulrich glared over to Artemis, that was supposed to be his goal.

"Uh oh," Yumi sighed, catching sight of Ulrich's unhappy expression. "He looks a little angry you guys. I guess he really thinks that girl's a problem."

"I saw her earlier, she's really quiet," Odd confessed, taking another bite from his candy bar and continued while he chewed, "But she's pretty good at soccer you know. Maybe I should try out for the team again."

"That was unfair! Time out! Time out!" Sissy yelled to the field.

"Sissy, this isn't really a game. Besides, I really think she can do that you know," Nicolas shyly put in to his flustered friend.

"She's stealing the spotlight from my Ulrich!" Sissy yelled again and sat down, arms crossed and her face melted into a big pout.

The ball flew across the field once more, Ulrich was as tense as ever as he dribbled the ball between his feet as he ran. Arty trailed him along the length of the field, pushing herself to make just one more goal. She panicked as Ulrich pulled back his leg to score, she needed a clean win to make the team. She dove, feet first, hitting the ball from right underneath him and into the corner of the goal.

The rocks digging into her back didn't feel too good, but seeing the ball had made it in made her smile to herself. Ulrich felt just the opposite. She stole that goal from him so easily, he must have held back without realizing it. He was still the best and he wanted it to stay that way. Especially for his parents' sake. If the rest of them would have tried harder, she wouldn't have scored so easily.

Something about her gave him the chills, despite her harmless appearance. His instincts told him trusting her would be a bad move. He tried not to think of the sickening feeling in his gut as he trotted over to his friends.


	3. Dinner

A/N: Sorry for the long wait, I don't have much time to get on the computer anymore thanks to school. I hope you enjoy this, even if it is a little short. I promise to try to update REALLY soon!

Dinnertime came around and Ulrich was still as grumpy as ever, especially when he caught sight of Artemis making her way around the lunchroom trying to find a seat, Jim had also joined the hunt.

"Doesn't she have anything better to do?" he grumbled to the rest of his group.

"Well, seeing it is dinnertime," Odd said as he shoved a chunk of food down his throat, "eating would be the best thing!"

"You think eating is always the best thing Odd…" Ulrich rolled his eyes as his friend devoured another mouthful.

Jim walked over pushing a reluctant Artemis in front of him with a stern smile towards the table. "Now, see? There's a seat right here! You guys don't mind, do ya?" He glanced over the heads of the teens ignoring their squeamish frowns. "Good!" With that he turned and lumbered across the cafeteria to steal another round of dessert before the cook could smack him over the head with her big wooden spoon.

Artemis tensely stood where Jim had left her, awkwardly trying to smile. "Um…May I sit here? Uh, please?"

There was a moment of silence before someone broke the ice, "You can sit here if you like." Artemis looked over and recognized the boy from earlier. Inwardly, she breathed a sigh of relief as she walked over and sat down.

"You're name is Jeremie, right?"

"Yeah, that's right. These are my friends," he said pointing to everyone at the table with him, "That's Ulrich over there and Odd is next to him. And this is Aelita." He motioned to the pink haired girl across from him.

"Um, hello," Arty replied timidly, "I'm Artemis." She hastily moved a strand of her hair, streaked a bright electric blue, behind her ear nervously.

Aelita smiled to her, "Did you make the soccer team?"

"Uh, yes. I'm the new substitute." Arty barely looked up as she replied. She didn't seem to get along easily with other people.

"Substitute? But you played pretty good to me!" Odd chimed in between bites of chicken, all the while nudging the grumpy Ulrich in the ribs.

Artemis shrugged, "It's really no big deal, anyway…"

There was an awkward pause before Aelita began to ask Odd some question about music. Artemis looked up and saw Ulrich glaring at her from across the table. She quickly finished eating and went to put her try away.

"Where are you going?" Jeremie looked up at her as he asked.

"Um, I need to go…fix my computer…" She paused for a moment and caught Ulrich's look again, "Um thank you for letting me sit here…Um, I'll see you guys later." She hurried off before any of them could get another word in.

Artemis sat in the middle of her dorm room with the lights turned off. The glow of her computer lit the small area around her.

"I just don't get it…I thought I did pretty good at the tryout, but I'm still only an alternate!" She sighed, "Oh well…maybe something good will come from it."

She looked down at her computer, "That Jeremie boy seems nice, well, nicer than everyone else."

Arty let out an exasperated sigh and fell backwards onto the floor and stared up at her ceiling. There was a handful of glow in the dark stars she had stuck up there earlier. She lay there calmly for a moment before grabbing the back of her neck and sitting up again, grabbing a small notepad off her desk.

Using the light of the computer, she wrote a small reminder on the sheet of paper: Remember to recharge soon.


End file.
